1-2-3 Imagine! with Elmo & Friends

the club mud scene was just a short transition scene in front of the curtain between the underwater number, and beach scene. it featured oscar and grundgetta only imagining they were vacationing at club mud (a spoof on beach resort club med) they sang a short song about club mud to the tune of "codfish ball" the scene was shorter than 2 minutes. it was only featured in the original run of this show back in 96. this scene was cut for the 02 remount and wasn't put in the current version either, as Grundgetta has no lines in the newer versions. i hope this answers your questions

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Gee thanks for clearing that up.
If I may ask, was this the only scene Grundgy spoke in, like something similar to her role in EGT? Or was she feaured throughout the entire show? Also, during the hula scene, didn't they pick a random dad to come up and dance? Why did they stop/discontinue that for all current SSL shows?

And, it's not 1-2-3 related, but do you know how they made the color dissapear from the SS set in ECB? Was it a lighting effect or was an alternate set built?

In the very first 123, Grundgetta was the same performer as Rosita. So after the Mexico scene, Grungy was in the rest of the show and spoke frequently. This obviously changed in the 02 remount, where Grungetta didn't speak at all and was played by the same performer as Barkley and Aunt Ursula.

They also did bring parents up to do the Hula in grass skirts in the original. They stopped having on-stage, audience participation, after one of the dads that was picked to go on stage during a production of When I Grow Up, went crazy and body slammed Ernie and tried to pull Cookie's head off on stage... Yep... that one crazy dad ruined it for everyone.

And in ECB, it was literally 2 different sets that created this effect. Color changes that happened in live action (i.e. the pink-to-white flower, and the gold-to-white coins) were simple, rudimentary magic tricks.

They also did bring parents up to do the Hula in grass skirts in the original. They stopped having on-stage, audience participation, after one of the dads that was picked to go on stage during a production of When I Grow Up, went crazy and body slammed Ernie and tried to pull Cookie's head off on stage... Yep... that one crazy dad ruined it for everyone.

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Goodness, that's really messed up. I feel bad for all those kiddies who saw Ernie & Cookie getting hurt like that. And also that dad's child...they must've been thinking 'what the heck is daddy doin?'. It's a shame, really it is. I used to love those parts of the show, guess it's a wrap on that.

Not running out of ideas... Just trying to save money in this economy. I mean it makes sense. It cost approx. $3 million to create a new show. You have to factor in set building and paying the writers, musical director, choreographer, director, muppeteer voices and paying for the rights to each popular song they use. It's waaaay cheaper to send out one that they already have ready with just a few minor changes. And I personally think ECB would be a better choice than what's going back out (and that's the last hint i'll give :-P) ECB is one of my favorites. OR I wish they would completely remake one of the really old ones like Sleeping Birdie, Silly Dancing or Let's Play School.

Not running out of ideas... Just trying to save money in this economy. I mean it makes sense. It cost approx. $3 million to create a new show. You have to factor in set building and paying the writers, musical director, choreographer, director, muppeteer voices and paying for the rights to each popular song they use. It's waaaay cheaper to send out one that they already have ready with just a few minor changes. And I personally think ECB would be a better choice than what's going back out (and that's the last hint i'll give :-P) ECB is one of my favorites. OR I wish they would completely remake one of the really old ones like Sleeping Birdie, Silly Dancing or Let's Play School.

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Yeah, it makes sense since you broke it down that way.

And funny, Let's Play School would have been my second guess, lol. I guess it didn't have enough Elmo in it?

And I agree, VEE should dig out one of the real old shows from the Henson days, i'd LOVE to see one of those (of course it will have Elmo and Abby added in, lol) . Though i'm curious whether they have any of the old costumes/sets in storage somewhere (i.g. TeeHee, Herry, Snuffy, etc.) in case they do decide whether or not to bring them back someday.

They're all still there in the Vee Warehouse. Herry isn't a character on SS anymore so I doubt he'll be making an appearance in any SSL shows. But yeah, if they were to update Let's Play School they would have to add Abby, as well as Baby Bear, Rosita, Telly and Zoe. I'm sure they would replace Betty Lou, Grundgetta, Barkley and maybe even Prairie Dawn and one of the Honkers. Elmo was in that show, but I'm sure they would make it more about him if they updated it.

*sigh....* i'm not at liberty to say just yet, but i found out what the next SSL show is gonna be... It's another repeat.... And sadly it's Not Let's Be Friends... :-(

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Hmmm...the "hinting" in this article completely gives it away now! They're bringing back Super Grover! Ready for Action huh? I mean Ready for Action...no, wait! It's Elmo! Ready for Action. Or whatever they call it this time.

Seems kinda soon, considering it was JUST taken off the circuit not too long ago, if you include those interantional performances. And funny, I thought they were going to revive Out of This World, hehe. But SG!RFA was a really good show, just seems weird how they're bringing it back so quick. I wonder how they're going to include Abby, like is she taking Prairie's lines because it seems sort of impossible to drop Zoe (considering the Fab 5 "monster" refrences throughout the show & the Rocco jokes). And then there's the Journey to Ernie segment portion, which isn't even on the TV show anymore.

Oh well. Shall be interesting to say the least. But Let's Be Friends would have been perfect! It has enough Elmo for the little ones (he was basically the star IMO, though I crack up Big Bird still received higher billing in the program book, LOL.) and its one of the rare shows to feature the likes of Snuffy, Hoots, and even Roxie.

Out of This World was kind of a crappy show. Poorly written. Kinda Boring. I agree they should remount LBF (which I'm certain they would rename... Elmo's Friendship Club)

All the tours are going down to 13 characters with no ramp and maxi stage. In EHH, Abby is replacing Rosita and Rosita is replacing Baby Bear. And since it will come back as the 13 performer scaled down version, Prairie will prob be small understudy. I think they'll make a few changes to the Journey to Ernie section and possibly drop the Rocco lines.

OTW would have been even harder to remount because it references the Journey to Ernie, Global Grover and Hero Guy skits which are all outdated.... Not to mention, That Show Sucked

But they NEEEEED to bring back Let's Play School (which would probably be named Elmo's Play School) That show was AWESOME!

All the tours are going down to 13 characters with no ramp and maxi stage. In EHH, Abby is replacing Rosita and Rosita is replacing Baby Bear. And since it will come back as the 13 performer scaled down version, Prairie will prob be small understudy. I think they'll make a few changes to the Journey to Ernie section and possibly drop the Rocco lines.

All the tours are going down to 13 characters with no ramp and maxi stage. In EHH, Abby is replacing Rosita and Rosita is replacing Baby Bear. And since it will come back as the 13 performer scaled down version, Prairie will prob be small understudy. I think they'll make a few changes to the Journey to Ernie section and possibly drop the Rocco lines.

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Very difficult to figure out the casting, but I'm guessing it'll be...

That's the only thing I could figure out, not really sure about Rosita's part or the Number 1. I'd say it's rather confusing figuring how they're going to do this show with only 13 performers, even 14 would have been fine. Glad you said it's only temporary!

OTW would have been even harder to remount because it references the Journey to Ernie, Global Grover and Hero Guy skits which are all outdated.... Not to mention, That Show Sucked

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LOL dude, I just had to ask...what are your favorite/ least favorite SSL shows?

But they NEEEEED to bring back Let's Play School (which would probably be named Elmo's Play School) That show was AWESOME!

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Yeah, and Sleeping Birdie looked kinda cool too. Though chances of that coming back are 1 in 1,000,000,000 LOL.
I'd love to see all the old shows actually. It's just something really magical about the old shows and something special about them that the current shows (no offense) just don't seem to have anymore. I know part of the reason is probably from me getting older, but really, if you look at the old shows they really have a *spark* to them, in a sense lol. While they weren't perfect, it seems they weren't "over-perfected" either like they are today, or try to be.

Like everything was down to the mark, from the costuming to the scenery, which were at the top of the line (IMO) back then, mainly in the 1990's. Also, not much of a fan of the TV screen they've been using this past decade or so(thanks Everyone Makes Music.) And plus, EVERYTHING is still in storage, so they really could have used the old 1-2-3...Imagine! set if they wanted. Besides, the stage with the SSL sign hanging over it (not the one used in today's theater tours) decked out in lights REALLY adds to the whole "live" experience.

Well this is how they did the cast last time RFA was on the theater circuit:
Grover/ Number 1
Elmo
Zoe/Gene
Telly
Rosita
Cookie/Oscar
Big Bird/ Number 0
Bert
Kay
Ernie-Kay
Baby Bear/Count
Understudies: Roxy/Grundgetta/Honker

My favorite newer shows are EGT, EMM and ECB! Although WEGU has the BEST choreography. And RFA... or EHH, is the Funniest and prob most fun concept. Least favorite- although I enjoy all SSL shows... BBSDCO and OTW and I'm just OVER 123! Enough already.
My favorite older shows are Sleeping Birdie, Let's Be Friends and Let's Play School!

I definitely know what you mean about the spark, but I think it also has a lot to do with our age, like you say... And I DO indeed miss the old light-up SSL sign. For the orginal WIGU, both productions of LPS and for Silly Dancing, they used the light-up ssl logo, with flat cartoon versions of Bert and Ernie peeking over... so cute

Well this is how they did the cast last time RFA was on the theater circuit:
Grover/ Number 1
Elmo
Zoe/Gene
Telly
Rosita
Cookie/Oscar
Big Bird/ Number 0
Bert
Kay
Ernie-Kay
Baby Bear/Count
Understudies: Roxy/Grundgetta/Honker

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Thanks for clearing that up. Who would have thought Grover would play a minor role in his own show! And surprise for me that Gene ACTUALLY required a performer, guess I didn't look into that that much when I saw it live, lol.

My favorite newer shows are EGT, EMM and ECB! Although WEGU has the BEST choreography. And RFA... or EHH, is the Funniest and prob most fun concept. Least favorite- although I enjoy all SSL shows... BBSDCO and OTW and I'm just OVER 123! Enough already.

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Yeah, I must admit EGT took some time getting used to for me, but it has been one of the better shows they've done in a while, story wise and scenery. EMM (depends which E's your referring to LOL) ironically has to be one of my least favorites! The story was okay(espicially Bert's disco), but I blame that show for introducing that dreaded TV screen (is there another word to call it?). To think it's be almost a decade since they first used it though. I REALLY want them to ditch it, REALLY.

ECB was a fun show too. I LOVED the original when I saw it, since it was a departure from the norm (especially white Oscar & I loved Blanche!) . Hehe... I remember getting as souviners that year a blue t-shirt with Elmo dancing on it, a bendable Elmo figurine, SSL crayons (remember those?), the program (which I sadly lost), and a BB flashlight. ...sorry went down memory lane for a second. To think I was so big on Elmo back then...

The revival was fun too, despite the lack of Big...ugh, never mind. You know.

I have fond memories of BBSDCO, mainly because we sat in the first row and to the far end of stage right, or our left, and if you saw the theater version of that show, you'd know Snuffy was on that side A LOT! We seemed so close Snuffy almost hit my friend with his trunk! LOL true story. Plus, we also got to see backstage a lot, however me being so young, I didn't really know what was going on. My mom has told me she saw one of the performers (supposedly Ernie) with the head of the costume off, but it didn't catch my eye...and I'm glad it didn't, hehe.

BtW, they need to bring Snuffy back, even in a newer show. After all, he's still a part of Sesame Street.

I definitely know what you mean about the spark, but I think it also has a lot to do with our age, like you say... And I DO indeed miss the old light-up SSL sign. For the orginal WIGU, both productions of LPS and for Silly Dancing, they used the light-up ssl logo, with flat cartoon versions of Bert and Ernie peeking over... so cute